The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle Review

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Title: The Infinite Moment of Us
Author: Lauren Myracle (Twitter)
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publish Date: August 20, 2013
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now... not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?

Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.

And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them...
Wren has lived her entire life by a certain code. She did her very best to always abide by her parents' wishes, make them proud and, by doing so, make herself proud, as well. But the code isn't so black and white anymore. She still plays by the rules, and she does her best to always be perfect, but something is missing, and she's not sure what exactly it is. Charlie, however, knows what he wants from life. He's sweet, kind and lives with the constant shadow of his past clouding his future. But can Charlie help awaken something in Wren that makes her see what she really wants from life?

I've had a tedious history with Lauren Myracle's books in the past. That's not to say I don't love her writing, but her work tends to simple ooze syrupy-sweet love and affection, and there is a part of me that just craves the anxiety that a dramatic tale brings. The Infinite Moment of Us promises readers the best of both worlds. Artfully weaving a story of two lost souls coming to together to heal each other and prove their own individual worth, the author provides us with a reason to believe in not only these characters, but ourselves as well. Oft times dreamy; other times heart-breakingly painful, The Infinite Moment of Us is sure to leave its mark on you, as well.

Because I went into this novel with fairly low expectations, I think that the book really did work for me, despite a few quirks. There was a tangible, affected air to Wren's character that made her undeniably relatable to me, as a reader. She had this little-girl-lost vibe to her, as well as a wide-eyed-innocence, but underneath this vulnerable exterior, there was a girl with power, strength and the desire to do great things with her life. The Infinite Moment of Us spends a good deal of time offering us an insight into Wren's internal dilemma, which clashes painfully against her parents' wishes for her to go to college, secure a job and maintain that straight and narrow line she's always followed. In this sense, I really, really disliked her parents. So long as Wren played by their rules, everything was kosher. The second she strayed and made a move to secure a future for herself, they demeaned her, belittled her and did everything they could to sway her decision. As someone who hopes to be a parent someday, I can't think of anything more mentally damaging that a parent can do than that. Charlie, on the other hand, was somewhat of an enigma for me. He had a rich, tortured soul, and he gave off a frail, damaged vibe that made it difficult for me to dislike him, even when he acted like a childish and petty. I could forgive a lot of his shortcomings because his past was artfully fleshed out though, at times, they still managed to grate on my nerves. I will say that Wren's immaturity was rather jarring at times, too. There is a definitive insta-connection (I hate to say love, though I'm sure many will), as there is a physical attraction that rides right alongside the emotional connection, as well, and the way Wren handled it, at times, was a bit baffling and annoying. I will say that there are some intimate sexual situations that, while well-written, kind of irked me, simply because I would have been for more invested in Charlie and Wren as a couple had they not immediately leaped to the physical aspect of a relationship. However, it's the ending that lowered my rating of the book. I almost wanted that subtle closure that kept you guessing on whether the connection lasts, but Wren acts childish and petty and, somehow, Charlie and his family break through the mold they've been in through the story to simply tie it up in ribbons and bows. 

Overall, I liked The Infinite Moment of Us, but I can't say that I completely loved it. And, I think it should be mentioned that because of the sexual situations in this book (and there are a good many), I don't think this is for the younger YA audience. Rather, it's more suitable for upper YA and even NA. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend this to fans of both genres, as well as those who enjoy contemporary fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

15 comments:

  1. While a few things sound a but cliche to me, I think I'll still consider it. The cover looks gorgeous as well. I guess I'll wait a few years as I'm in the young young adult section :D

    Fab review, Melissa! <33

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    1. haha good call, Melanie! It's a good book, truly...it's just a bit TOO heavy on the sex aspect of a relationship. I think it would have been more powerful without it, you know?

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  2. I just got a copy of this book this week, Melissa, but I'm not sure whether I want to read it or not. I requested the book thinking it would be a cute fluffy summer read, but it does sound like it's a lot deeper than that. I've read a couple of reviews of this on GR, and I'm a little worried if I'll like this or not. Plus, your description of the ending makes me feel like I would be disappointed with how things end too.
    The characters sound they were well-developed though and the parents sound terrible. I would probably be cursing them while reading the book.

    Anyways, thanks for the great well-balanced honest review, Melissa! :)

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    1. It's worth a read, Nick. I think a lot of people will enjoy it more than I did, and I think maybe I was just expecting something else entirely, you know? I think that is what made it tricky for me.

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  3. Poor Wren! I just don't understand parents who don't support their kids. Just because kids want to explore their boundaries and possibilities, which might be different than what they think the kids should be doing, it's definitely not a reason to belittle the kid!

    I don't mind an instant connection, as that's quite believable, but I'm not a fan of the quick physical reactions. Still, sounds like a good story that I might have to check out!

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    1. Yeah, I can go with instant connection. Lord knows I had that with the bf...BUT instant physical has ALWAYS bugged me. Plus, I don't think it's a great portrayal for younger audiences, you know?

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  4. Hmmmm. I'm thinking I'm going to pass on this one Melissa! I have zero patience for insta-connections (though they're better than insta-love I guess), particularly an insta-connections that jump right into a physical relationship right off the bat. I need time to really come to care about the characters before I can believe in their romance and feel invested in it. There are so many other books on my list I'm dying to read that I think this one can wait! Gorgeous review of course:)

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  5. Humm, well this isn't really my kind of read anyway, but I could be convinced if it had been exceptionally well done. As it is, I can't say I have any inclination to read this if the characters are going to be so annoying! I'm also not too keen on connections that turns physical super quickly either - just not my thing. Some really great thoughts here, Melissa! Great job.

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  6. Hmmm...sometimes a little subtlety can go a long way...sounds like the author may have lost sight of that here. Contemporary really isn't my genre anyway...

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  7. I read Shine in a readalong with my bestie a while back, and while I didn't dislike it, I can't say it was very memorable. Neither her characters nor her writing really work for me, and somehow I doubt this would either. I'm willing to give it a try since I already have the arc, but I won't hold my breath or expect to be blown away.
    Gorgeously written review as always, Melissa!

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  8. I've seen a lot of reviews that claim this book has a lot of drama, which I hate, so I know I won't be picking this up. I also hate when the ending of a book is ruined by characters acting petty, so that annoys me too. Contemporary Romance isn't a genre that works out for me too often, so I'm not too upset to be missing out on this. I'm glad that you did like it, though, Melissa!(:

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  9. I've only read TTYL and TTFN by Lauren and those were both so-so books, so I'm curious to read The Infinite Moments of Us and see if her writing has matured.

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  10. I would term this a NA as well, Melissa. I had similar feelings for this book. It had things that really worked for me but others that annoyed me. Charlie's misplaced loyalties and Wren's immaturity were grating at times. I wasn't overly fond of the ending because it was abrupt, IMO. Great review, Melissa. :)

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  11. I just read and reviewed this one as well (although I have not posted my review yet). I also had some issues with it but overall enjoyed it.

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  12. I've never really been a huge huge fan of Myracle's books however -- this cover is stunning. Everything about it.

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